Great blog btw!

Natalie xxx

I read with interest your post. I, too, recently took on a non-paying gig working 20 hours a week for an oral history project. It was fascinating, I learned a lot about the medium and remain committed to the cause.

One of the things I found most interesting, as you mentioned, was a lack of decorum. As in, people rarely said “good morning” or “good-bye” or “I’m going out, do you want anything?” What’s that about? Here’s where I felt old…I tried to set an example and was more than happy to pick up and deliver coffee for anyone who wanted one. Nothing was beneath me, I thought it was fun.

The other detail about being older (and experienced, however, in a completely different area) was that I believe that an employee, paid or not, is only as good as they are taught. I wasn’t in a position to tell my younger colleagues (and we are talking a 20 year age difference) how to do their job and while there’s much to be said about learning by doing, new staffers (paid or not) need instruction, at least in the beginning and also need to be able to ask questions without being shooed away.

In the end, I had to give up the commitment because my other responsibilities (grad school and a family) took priority. I was pleased to have had the chance to get my feet wet and learned a fair amount, mostly about how I might do things differently.

On that note, I’m writing a feature about women who opt to switch careers or go back to school after 40. Please let me know if you or anyone you know would be willing to be interviewed. Deadline is November 1.

With thanks for sharing your experience and good luck as you move forward – susaw@mac.com

I didn’t quite know which line of journalism I wanted to try for after journo school so I tried a bit of each. Perhaps silly, since this was just after 9/11 and everyone was axing rather than hiring, but still: did stints at Daily Telegraph online, Euronews (now defunct) on FiveLive, City section of The Express and Observer Business and Media.

I got clips from all of the newspapers and was put to work instantly in all newsrooms, neither lacking things to do nor guidance. I’m extremly grateful for this and still keep in touch with most of the editors. I didn’t only do writing: was put to do research, re-coding from html to xml, reviewing sub-sites, proofing, subbing ++ and enjoyed it all. I was never put to make coffee though, perhaps because I’m tall and dark and some people find me intimidating, perhaps I was just lucky to meet great people who never thought of making trainees do that, though I’d been happy to:-)